Jan-Philipp Sendker was born in Hamburg, Germany. He is a former journalist. He was the American correspondent for Stern from 1990 to 1995, and its Asian correspondent from 1995 to 1999. He lives with his family in Potsdam, Germany. Sendker also writes in other genres. He is the creator of the 'Rising Dragon' series featuring Paul Leibovitz, a journalist and sleuth in Hong Kong and China.